Identify this bird

Looks like I'm wrong on this one then. I would have bet against it being a juv Starling, just as well I didn't

txcanon wrote in post #17043157
It's a juvenile European Starling currently in a transitional molt into it's adult plumage. Nice shots.

Brad hit the nail right on the head, he did leave out the "Orc" part but he is right, they don't stay with this coat very long, sometimes have blue eyes too.

Levina de Ruijter wrote in post #17043161
This.

They molt in a kind of uneven way and can look pretty weird. Like this one, that I shot a few years ago: he's almost done, except the head. This was close to nightfall and at the time of shooting I had no idea what I was looking at. It's a bad shot but I kept it for occasions such as these.

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So did Levina!

I do not believe that it is a starling, juvie or otherwise. Colouration and shape of head wrong. STumped but not a starling

A classic juvie in the midst of change of coat of feathers, will post another tomorrow of an adult feeding one just like this.

Here you go, follow this link to .. here, earlier this year, the one here has grown some more.

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1379869

I am not convinced this is Juv European Starling, see many over hear in my backyard in the UK and never any with markings anywhere near that picture - doing a google images I would bet on a juv. Grackle which although I am no expert on American birds and there doesn't appear to be an exact match they are much closer in appearance to the OP photo....

Try juvenile Northern Mockingbird.

birderman wrote in post #17052734
I am not convinced this is Juv European Starling, see many over hear in my backyard in the UK and never any with markings anywhere near that picture - doing a google images I would bet on a juv. Grackle which although I am no expert on American birds and there doesn't appear to be an exact match they are much closer in appearance to the OP photo....

Well, I'll take any bet you want, not that I could prove it to you, it is a juvi Starling, the link below will show you several juvi Grackles. If it makes you fell better call it a Sea Eagle but it is a Starling, their development from first coat to the regular Starling coat is different on most of them, and rarely do they look a like. I have seen so many of these nasty little buggars just this year, a Starling it is.
Here is a link to juvi Grackles

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1383725

There's no doubt in my mind either, Bret.
Grackles have much longer tails.
And look at the third picture. You can clearly see the beginning of the typical Starling markings just above the leg, next to the wing. No Grackle that I've seen has them. No Mockingbird either.

Yes indeed Levina, I took a second or fifth look, you are right, the markings just above the leg are correct. No doubt.
Hope you are well, miss you in the second Galaxy, lol

It definitely is not an eagle or a hummingbird....

Its a juvinile European Starling. Heres a not very good image of a pair showing the adult plumage starting to show through.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/oaEQ​4Q

It's a juvenile European starling molting in adult winter plumage. Mine all look the same as the birds in your pictures. They start molting in the upper wing coverts first along with the some of the breast feathers.

Birderman, Common grackles have heavier bills, and even juvies have longer tails than starlings.

Sincere thanks to everyone for the input. I am convinced this is a juvenile european
starling at this point. I never would have guessed it. Experience is the best teacher, so they say.